


Settled

by Leah_Red



Category: His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, M/M, Pre-Kerberos Mission, SHEITH - Freeform, Whump, what is canon?, who knows not me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:14:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leah_Red/pseuds/Leah_Red
Summary: The most sublime feeling one can have is to have your true love touch your daemon.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 47





	Settled

**Author's Note:**

> i dont know what canon is dont tell me just let me have this. im going to cry now bye

Keith held Evynlia in his arms, adjusting his grip without thinking as she changed from a striped house cat to a much larger serval. Shiro and Mida were waiting for them at the shuttleport. As much as he wanted to go, to be able to say goodbye to his best friend, his footsteps still dragged. Maybe if he didn’t see Shiro off, he could pretend he wasn’t actually leaving.

When Eve changed again, this time into a much larger snow leopard, Keith stumbled and dropped her to the ground. “Are you done?” he snapped, and got a quick slap of a paw across his shin in reply. 

“I don’t know, are you?” his daemon snapped right back. Keith glared at her until he lost his nerve and looked away. He clenched his jaw and blinked firmly to keep tears from spilling over.

“I don’t want him to leave either,” Eve whispered a moment later. Keith knelt down and wrapped his arms around her tightly, tight enough where he could feel the pain he was causing.

Slowly he relaxed his grip and Eve returned to a smaller form that Keith could carry easily. He picked her up as a tiny sand cat and finally started walking again.

When Shiro and his black leopard daemon came into view, Keith straightened up and Eve jumped out of his arms to walk on her own. They were sad, and scared, and angry – but Shiro was Keith’s best friend. If they could make any of their negative feelings any less obvious to make Shiro feel any bit better about his trip away from Earth then they would do it.

Eve changed into an almost mirror image of Mida when Shiro and Keith embraced in a tight hug. Keith’s daemon rubbed her face against Shiro’s, her orange fur standing out against Mida’s black.

Keith took a deep breath and then put his entire self into being in the moment. The tour of the shuttleport and small talk were all that he did his best to focus on. When the sun started to set, though, the conversation between them petered off.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Keith finally mumbled softly.

Shiro took a breath to say something back before stopping himself. Mida spoke up instead, a sad smile in her voice as she said, “We’ll miss you, too, Keith.”

“You and Eve behave.” Shiro finally found his voice. “I don’t need to get an email half-way through the solar system because you stole someone _else’s_ car.”

Keith scoffed and shook his head, though he couldn’t stop a smile from edging at his lips. “Yeah, whatever. No promises.”

“I mean it.” Shiro put his hand on Keith’s shoulder and looked into his eyes. “Please. For me.” His voice took on a rough quality that even clearing his throat couldn’t hide.

“...okay.” Keith slowly nodded. They both knew they would probably never see each other again. The least he could do is make one more promise that both of them knew he wouldn’t keep.

Keith took a breath. He was ready to say goodbye, to force out the words and run away and pretend Shiro was going to be back as soon as his mission was over. And then he felt something that he had never felt in his entire life. 

Shiro had reached out his other arm and carefully, oh so carefully, placed his hand on Evynlia’s head, right between her rounded ears. At the same time, Mida walked around Shiro and nosed her muzzle under Keith’s hand.

“You’re destined for great things, Keith,” Shiro said, barely louder than a whisper. “I know you won’t prove me wrong.”

Keith felt tears in his eyes as he gripped his fingers into Mida’s black fur. “Okay,” he whispered right back. 

Shiro gently pet Eve’s head one last time before drawing his hand away. Mida followed suit and backed away to slink behind Shiro.

It wasn’t until later, after paltry goodbyes were shared and the pair finally parted that Keith really started to realize what happened. Shiro had touched his daemon. He had touched his daemon and Keith didn’t feel revulsion or terror or disgust. And Mida had Keith touch her.

Keith gripped a hand tightly at the thick fur and skin at the back of Eve’s neck, her rosettes bunching up in his fist without reacting. 

“He… he lo-”

“Stop.” Eve spoke up and leaned heavily against Keith. Taller and heavier as a leopard, she used her actual weight to put weight behind her words. “Don’t say it. Not out loud. Please,” she ended in murmur. 

Keith looked down at his daemon. “I guess I can’t pick you up and carry you anymore.” He spoke through his voice breaking, needing something, anything else to focus on.

“Fitting, don’t you think?” Eve picked up her pace, forcing Keith to follow after her. “I think I like it like this.”


End file.
